Automatic alarm.



H. G. HOFFMAN & G. C. EASTIN.

AUTOMATIC ALARM.

APPLICATION rum SEPTA, 1913.

1,1 16,276. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY G. HOFFMAN AND GEORGE C. EASTIN, OF MOUNT STERLING, KENTUCKY..

AUTOMATIC ALARM.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Nav. 3, 1914..

Application aedseptember 9,1913. serial No. vease?.

To all rwhom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY G. HOFFMAN and GEORGE C. EASTIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Mount Sterling, in the county 'of Montgomery and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to burglar alarms, and more particularly to the class of automatic alarms for traveling bags or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an alarm of this character wherein an audible signal will become active on the lifting of the bag; although the said alarm is especially designed for use in suit cases, trunks, jewelry boxes, or the like, thereby indicating to the owner or bystanders that the same is being tampered with or is in the possession of a wrong deer.

Another object of the invention is th'e provision of an alarm attachment of this character which can be readily and easily set so as to become active forv the sounding of an audible signal on the lifting or carrying of the bag or other article to which the same is attached so as to indicate it is in the possession or hands of an intruder, theattachment being set ina novel nianner so as 4to prevent a-person other thanfthe user of the bag gaining knowledge of whethent or not the signal will be sounded on the lifting of the said article.

A further object of the invention is theY provision of an alarm attachmentgof this character wherein Kthe same can be readily applied to luggage, and which will automatically become active should theY article be tampered with or in event an attempt is made to carry thesame o from its place of rest by a. person other than the rightful possessor.

A still further object of -the invention is the provision of an alarm of this character which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purpose, and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other` objects in. view, the. invention consists in the constructiorfcombination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claimslhereunto appended.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a traveling bag with the alarm constructed in accordancewith the inveption applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinall sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 is.a` 'sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail of the circuit closing plate.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, 10 designates generally a traveling bag which is of any approved form and in ,which is mounted the alarm attachment presently described. Y

Th bag 10 is provided as usual with the swinging top sections 11 and 12 respectively, which when closed can be readily locked together, one of the sections being desigx'ied to overlap the other, and the metallic frame 13 thereof carries a handle 14 and slidable latches 15 on opposite sides c-.t the `handle so that the top sections can be securely locked and the bag carried in the hand in the ordinary well-known manner.

The alarm attachment. comprises a slidable circuit closing plate 16 which is suitably supported upon the frame 13 at the inner side of the cover section 11 and has connected thereto the stem or shank 1T of a hand knob 18, the stem being passed up through a suitable slot formed in the frame 13 and the cover section-11 so that the knob 18 will be projected exteriorly ofthe bag whereb'y7 on manipulating the knob the circuit closing plate 16 can be shifted for the opening or closing of an electric circuit comprising a battery 19, an electric bell 20, both of which being connected lwith the electric current wires 21, one of which is engaged with the hook end 22 carried at one extremity of an L-shaped hanger 13 loosely connected to one end of the handle 14 which has its other end loosely connected to a base plate 23 supporting the said handle, the plate 23 being suitably Ariveted or otherwise fixed to the frame 13 of the bag. The

hanger 13 is slidably fitted as `shown in any suitable nearing carried by therrame 13 etateriorly thereof. The other 'wire of the electric circuit is connected to the plate 16 at any suitable point thereof, the hook end 22 on the hanger 13.being adapted to work against one end of the plate 16 when moved in the path of the latter so that when the plate 16 and the end 22 contact the electric circuit will be closed for the sounding of the heli 20, it being apparent that when the handle is raised the end 22 will be brought into Contact with the plate 16 after the latter has been shifted into the path of movement of the said end 22 so that the circuit will be closed.

Interposed between the metal frame 13 of the section 11 and the hook-shaped end 22 of the 14 which projects .interio'rly 1r; of the bug a coiled expansion spring 2i which is di :Tried to act upon the end to it out et contact With the end of the p Sie when the latter has been shitty-idea extend. into' the path of 'movement thereof and the bag 10 is'at rest so that the electric circuit. will remain open untilthe bag is lifted from its resting place. The circuit closing plate 16 at its other end is formed with a curvature providing a laterally projected tongue 25 which is adapted to extend into' the path of/movement of the depending lugs on one of the latches 15, and when the bag is closed and locked this lug 2G 'will be out of contact with the tongue 25 on the plate, but should an attempt be made to open the bag the lug 26 will be thrown against the tongue 25 so that the cir cuit will be closed through the latch carrying the lug, the frame 13, the hanger ing open to prevent" the Sounding of the bell 2C'. I the metal frame 13, while the latch 15 is mounted directly on the latter so that the i circuit will be closed through the metal frame 13 when the latch 15 is moved to bring the 26 thereof in engagement with the tongue 25, it being understood ofcourse that plate 16 is shiftcdin a direction so as to entend in. the path of movement of the contact 22 to accomplish this.

Mounted on thesection 11 in alinement i with the knob 18 at intervals are false knobs 27 which are slidably iitted tothe frame 13 and are designed to confuse a person when attempting to more the piste 12'5 to avoid the closing of the circuit for the sounding of the alarm. it is to be understood, however, that this plate in uy be connected with any one of the series ot kr `l^ 27, thereby assuring a i' :ti r combi? tion known only to the case for the setting of the alarm the sounding.. lthereof when the case lifted or :in attempt is being made to open the same by a wrong doer. Theyyiring 13', and Contact 22, it being apparent that' the wires 21 are connected with the contact 22 and with the plate. 16, thus completing inc plate 1 is suitably insulated from` p v i 1,116,276

21, bell 20, and battery 19 are arranged ,bevtween the lining and the body of the bag 10 so as to be concealed thereby, the bellbeing suitablyshielded to avoid any interference with the sounding of the same when the electric circuit is closed. i

1n the operation of the alarm, assuming that thebag 10has-been closedand locked and also the'plate 16 hasbeen shifted to the right ofthe bag 10` and the said bag is at rest, should a. erson attempt tov raise the bag by the handile 14 the hook end 22 thereof will Contact with the endadjacent thereto of ther plaieV 16, thereby closing the electric and causin'grthe soundingof the bell 2Q, thus signaling the. owner or bystanders that an attempt is being made to carry the bag away by a wrong door. Now, should an attempt be made to open the bag by moving the latch`15 the latter will bring its lug 26 into engagement with the contact end 25 of the plate 16, thus closin the electriccircuit and causin the sounding of the bell as the circuit will e closed through the frame 13 to the said bell forthe Sounding thereof.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction.- and manner. of operation of the device will be `clearly understood, and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted. Y l

What is claimed is :f- 1. The combination withv a receptacle, of an alarm comprising a normally open electric circuit having a bell a circuit closing plate slidably fitted interiorly ofthe recep- .tacle, and a handle movably supported on the receptacle and''engageable with the plate for closing the electricicircuit.

2. The combination `with a receptacle, of an alarm comprising a normally open electric circuit having a bell, a 'circuit closing plate slidably itted-interiorly of the receptacle, a handle movably supported on the receptacle and engageable 'with the plate. for closing the electric circuit, a latch on the receptacle for locking the same and movable into engagement with the plate kfor .closin the electric circuit when the handle is out o contact with the 'said plate.

3. The combination with al receptacle, of an alarm comprising a normally open electric circuit having abell, va circuit closing plate slidably fitted interiorlyof the receptacle, a handle movably supported on the ing plate slidably fitted interiorly of the rearranged exteriorly of the receptacle anil ceptacle, a handle movubly supported. on the simulative of the said first-named means. receptacle and engageable with the plate for In testimony whereof we affix our signaclosing the electric circuit, a latch on the retures in presence of two witnesses.

5 ceptacle for locking the same and movable HARRY G. HOFFMAN.' into enga ement with the plate for closlng the electrc circuit When the handle is out GEORGE C' EASTIN' of contact with the said plate, means for Witnesses:

moving the plate into the path of movement W. L. KILLPATRICK,

f 10 of the handle or the latch, and false means NELL TIProN. 

